The Problem With YouTube Fitness (It's Not What You Think!)

[@TheBioneer]

Check NordVPN exclusive deal here: nordvpn.com/thebioneer . It's risk-free with a 30-day money back guarantee!

[@slaske5190]

I really wished i could give the video 10 likes😅

[@firejoe283]

My advice to the youngins: Don't lose yourself in the pursuit of fitness. I mean, you can dedicate your time as a teen, but as you get older, you'll shift priorities. Fitness and health is still up there. But there's family, friends, events, experiences, etc. On the other hand, if you're going hard on workouts now, keep in mind, it may not carry over because of how life goes. So don't beat yourself up for missing a workout or doing a shorter one. I loved my 2 hour workouts a day. But, I'm a dad, and luckily a homeowner too. Both need upkeep. 10-20 min HIIT workouts or 2-3 hours of gym a week might have to suffice sometimes. As long as I remember to come back to training, I know I'll be solid.

[@davidetl8241]

Awesome, nice to see KZbinrs taking good responsibility of the fitness community

[@capnbarky2682]

I'm a dad too, and a beginner at the gym after going through more than 2 months of back pain whenever I woke up. I'm the strongest I've ever been in my life and I only go into the gym for an hour every other day to do deadlifts and a couple other things. I think you can still get crazy strong even with a lot of time commitments.

[@Himothy704]

I'm 44 with a family, and I train 5 days a week. Speak for yourself. Started lifting at 17

[@firejoe283]

@Himothy704 that's great! Not everyone has the same situation. Priorities shift when it comes to family (including elderly parents or special needs members who need help a lot), time (people putting work into their marriage, being present for their children) , and money (sometimes OT isnt there, job doesnt pay as much). I'm lucky I get a workout at the fire station, but I know everyone isn't as fortunate. That's what Bioneer was talking about, though. Something works for you, but that doesn't mean it works for everyone. I'm not saying you have it easy, I'm willing to bet you're an early riser, and you've probably sacrificed some things but that's reality, we pick the price we're willing to pay in the long run. I need my sleep and lord knows I don't get enough at the station. A solid nap then the rest for the family works for me. (My kids are getting old enough to be around me while I workout and not be in the way, so I've got that going for me) I've also been lifting since 15, though I fell off a few times in my mid 20s. I'm 35 and still going at it.

[@shadowmikeington]

Even though I agree that you should prioritize family and relationships, I feel like there are a few important points that you missed. Now I'll be honest I'm only 22 and don't have a family to take care so maybe its not place to speak on the matter. But my pursuit of fitness has always been forward facing for health and longevity, and this is my two cents. 1. The time you spend taking care of your body now directly translates to quality time spent with the people you care about further in life. Not only in terms of lifespan but healthspan as well. Spending a few hours a week for potentially years of extra time in good health is one of the best investments you can make. And the way to get the best of both worlds is finding physical activity you can do with others rather than alone. 2. Training is important, but your lifestyle habits outside of training are even more important, and these often have a net zero or negligible time investment. Avoiding smoking and drinking takes no time but adds years to your life. Eat majority "clean" whole foods and choose healthier alternatives when you eat out. Stay mobile throughout the day and avoid sitting - if you working sitting at a desk all day, get a standing desk. Etc., the list goes on.

[@JaxBlade]

Just got around to fully watching this, Beautifully said in all regards, people these days are so obsessed with impressing people who don't really like them and underneath it all they don't really like either. This video was superb with its message and thanks for the shoutout at the end king, You're the GOAT!

[@KinGSlayEr-y6v]

My biggest peeve is the pedantic abstraction where people obsessively deconstruct fractional variables in training and then promote it as some holy orthodoxy to the point training like some robot is glorified. You take AtheanX for example, highly educated, articulate interesting guy, but his entire business model is to fear monger about the dangers of minor training imperfections . It does a lot more to deter action than promote it

[@MYWALLS]

I love doing unorthodox training it’s so fun I can stick with it 1000x times better than orthodox training it’s not “optimal” but at the end of the day it’s gets me going outside A bit off topic but I agree

[@proteusblack8913]

I'm a growing novice in getting fit but I began noticing this very early out of the gate with KZbin rabbit holes of influencers making 30 minute videos splitting hairs about cherry picked science theories around what "optimizes hypertrophy" and they never go anywhere with it, much less actually get to any notable point. It's like a sign that a youtuber is running out of ideas for authentic content and is dipping into backup filler topics.

[@KinGSlayEr-y6v]

@@proteusblack8913 yeah, I much prefer workout ‘artists’ to ‘professors’ . The Bioneer is the only person I’ve seen take an intellectual angle but still make it creative and motivating rather than an arbitrary deep dive. Creating problems to be solved is a common strategy of marketing. But information is not the primary limiting factor in people’s exercise outcomes, I’m sure prisoners and people from poorer countries have higher standards. Direction to move, enjoyable flow states, content that offers this has far more value imo. Obsessive science leads to nihilism. ‘Why do cardio, when you can just skip milk in your coffee’ (common thread I’ve seen) Because having basic cardiovascular health and enjoying a full coffee is worth putting in effort for 😂

[@juliocesarsalazargarcia6872]

Yeah, I agree. But the problem is not to be dedicated to use science (something that a lot of people would call "obsesive science"), the problem is not being holistic and integral and the problem also is to look at the trees instead of looking at the forest. To apply science to everything gives you power; to ignore playfulnes, art and intuition is the real mistake.

[@drillerdev4624]

I love Jeff Cavaliere, and have learnt a lot from him. His bodyweight training plans were a great help during the pandemic, but I understand your point Probably the biggest wisdom nugget I've gained from the Bioneer is to adapt your training to whatever you have available (both at the gym or outdoors) and not obsess too much about numbers, but rather try to have a functional physique adaptable to most situations. Even if my daily life involves sitting at a desk for the most part, you never know

[@michaelmcnally9737]

You take cold showers because you have low T. I take cold showers because I procrastinate on fixing my water heater. We are not the same

[@TheBioneer]

😂😂 I can relate to this

[@nveronline2914]

You take cold showers cause you dont fix your water heater, I take cold showers because I used all my hot water. We are not the same.

[@hakin8026]

I simply enjoy cold showers I'm built different

[@necromancer6405]

@@nveronline2914 45 minute shower crowd.

[@ogpence]

You too, uh?

[@SpikeTFA]

My hands are sore from slow clapping through this whole thing

[@mrj2654]

Your hands are sore from that?... soy boy.

[@ithinkthereforeitalk935]

Bruh, it's a form of light aerobic training. See? Stop doing that!

[@williamnunn8847]

This is the most relaxing reassuring production I have watched, all year!

[@8lec_R]

Damn bro. I feel you. I have just the supplement to fix that... And what's best is you don't need to pay me any money... Just your left kidney will suffice

[@mangedrabbit]

Get that crushing strength 💪

[@greenarrow219]

I love training, especially for my mental health. You tube didn't exist when I started 33 years ago. Many fitness influences are rubbish, to be honest. The Bioneer is genuinely a great channel, honest, open, and not selling false information.

[@soloman8059]

The problem with algorithm-based fitness video content is that basically every fitness channel eventually devolves into "X is killing your gains" bs or starts to gradually lose viewership, while more long-form, valuable information gets buried or otherwise enjoys little popularity. To add to this, you can teach people only so much, all that you know yourself, that is. So, sooner or later one will have to find a more "creative" approach in order to remain relevant (in most cases). Or one can just start pumping out clickbaity vids of the aforementioned quality. Still, those who don't do so and continue to provide priceless and in-depth info are few and far between, which makes such channels a treasure for a genuine fitness enthusiast.

[@RjTheTrigun]

OMG this should be a mandatory intro video for everyone getting into fitness. Ignore the noise just do the basics and what you like.

[@billbill6094]

The obsession these days of being "alpha" and oozing with so much confidence and intrigue that everyone in a 10 mile radius feels your spiritual pressure like this is Bleach seems like such an empty pursuit to me (even ignoring how categorically disproven the alpha-beta model of social interaction is). What is the intended way you want to interact with the world with all this superhuman but vague confidence, and does that make you happy to limit your personality to only what fits in an "alpha" box? You're telling me that if you and your friends were joshing about a dumb movie and laughing, you just want to stand there in your alpha pose, put your eyes in a predator squint, and say only the most witty remarks while clearly asserting dominance on all the other men in the group who are just having a good time? By all means if you feel uncomfortable talking to someone you're attracted to or you want to feel stronger and more comfortable in your body, work on yourself. But don't think you have to be superior to everyone or define what superior is as the opposite of who you are naturally, don't suppress yourself to act like all these "stoic" podcasters with McMansions and the ugliest, cheapest luxury vehicles they can buy.

[@TheBioneer]

Exactly. The irony is that people who think they need this are the ones lacking self awareness. That’s what’s really causing a lot of their issues (obviously, not in every case, but a lot of the time). The result is that the act is transparently an act. It comes off inauthentic and they come across even *more* awkward… This is why the corny advice to “be yourself” is actually just accurate. Because that’s what confidence actually looks like - owning your own brand!

[@billbill6094]

@@TheBioneer This was something I had to learn the hard way as a young teen, people who'll like you will like _you,_ and no fake aloofness will make you enjoy social interactions or make you more attractive. I even had some real aloofness that I had to work on but was being masked by me playing it up. I especially don't like the notion that having the ability to put down others to make yourself feel high is the way to live like what being "alpha" to the "betas" around you seem to imply. It's just glorified bullying, and everybody hates a bully. In the adult world these people _will_ end up being secluded, inarguably getting it worse than their victims, so why do so many chase after it? I try to live by the Hemingway quote "There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self." Nobody I work with or interact with may be able to tell any difference in me, but when I'm able to show more patience than yesterday, more compassion than yesterday, achieve a goal I didn't think I could, I know and that's all that matters. I can't say I always succeed but it's the trying that makes it, and it keeps failure from getting you down.

[@miltonthegreat6520]

The great thing about being older than today's 20-somethings is that it really is about health more than appearance. The longer you workout, the more you ask yourself how you can keep doing this forever. Will you stay strong in our 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond? We all get older. It's easier to be a healthy 50 year old than it is to be a 50 year old muscle guy with heart disease. It's about the long game.

[@blindschach]

Great video as always. The only thing the Bionner needs to work on, is his onion cutting technique

[@TheBioneer]

😂😂

[@ChurchWorshipandvideo]

Another component I’ve long theorized but I see rarely discussed is the negative effect on our health and bodies by the stress we endure trying to maximize health. It is often stressful and expensive which causes more stress to track calories, work out (when there are many other responsibilities), eat the “right” stuff, take supplements, etc. I’m trying to find the middle ground where I have a plan, don’t overthink it and focus on enjoying instead of stressing about life. Hope this helps someone.

[@nikibasilius4787]

ive built a pretty good physique the last couple of years and im kinda happy, but yesterday, in my small town's gym 2 real life bodybuilders were training next to me. im almost certain they were not natty. I felt terrible cause i knew that no matter what i would never be able to reach their level naturally and started considering to ask them where thy get their juice cause i wanted to start taking it too.... i just wanted to share the experience cause i think it is relevant. your video came in a perfect time for me cause these guys have been on my mind since yesterday lol

[@TheBioneer]

Thanks for sharing man! It’s tempting sure. But I doubt they feel great and it’s really a dangerous road. You can get an amazing look without needing to go there - beyond that is just circus stuff

[@myheroskryptonite]

I have been currently watching fitness youtube for motivation. I don't really need to watch youtube for the best advice I have ever been given, which is to find something active that you like/love to do and then do it. For me that's swimming and walking. Goals are to start running and do basic (very basic) weightlifting. I feel like a catch a lot of things while swimming though. Its cardio, breath training, works all of your muscles and supposedly also helps you to stretch. It is functional (for swimming at least) and I think it helps me to walk quicker and is helping to loosen my joints and muscles. @TheBioneer I wish you would do a video on swimming! I would love to hear what you think.

[@TheBioneer]

Excellent advice! I need more experience before I’d feel comfortable making a video - but it will be featured in an upcoming one, soon :-D And I love it!

[@lolersthe4th880]

This is ultimately my issue with how fitness is portrayed in social media. Like this cure all, get the best life you've ever had by working out. As you said, it won't - it certainly can help specific things, can make things easier, but if you go into it thinking you'll come out the other end as this beacon of endless charisma that everyone's foaming at the mouth to soak in, you're wrong. The vast majority of people do not care about your muscles. At most it'll earn you a compliment or 2, or maybe a question about how you work out or eat or something - but that's really about it. It's not gonna improve your love life. It's not gonna improve your relationships or career goals (unless that career is I guess being in the fitness industry). Those are things that are separate. Things you need to work on perhaps through therapy or some deep introspection. In my opinion a fitness journey is a deeply personal pursuit. There's no one size fits all. No one's goals looks the same nor should be held to the same standard. For me, I've had 3 major surgeries on my stomach due to a ruptured appendix. That absolutely affected pretty much all facets of my life due to the complex, long terms effects of said surgeries. I'm 31 and I had and interest in working out since my mid teens, but the fact is, there're things I'm simply not capable of doing due the damage my body incurred. It sucks, but because I like how working out makes my body FEEL, I never gave up on trying things and I'm pretty happy I never did. I'm fitter than I've ever been. Stronger than I've ever been. Overall just the healthiest me. That's not me tooting my own horn, but it is to say that working out was never this weird moral thing I felt I HAD to do in order for my life to be better. It's something I liked doing that made my life better. It's a passion but I never felt it made me more morally superior than someone that doesn't. It's mystifying. Moralizing muscles and conflating it with health because in order to stand out from the crowd people do shit far more unhealthy than eating too many snacks. It's wild. But these are the people who many see as the authority on health and they're not even healthy. And I don't really care that they aren't (it's your life, genuinely I do not judge someone for doing steroids), but it's the culture that's built up around it that annoys me. Because it judges people who don't measure up to these standards as morally bankrupt and it's an ass backwards perspective. ''You don't have a 6 pack, put down the fork''. ''You're so skinny, why are you even giving out health advice''. '' You're overweight, you're opinion is invalid''. All of these sorts of statements irk me, because they remove all the nuance of what being ''healthy'' even is and condenses it down to purely aesthetics. I'm an advocate for anyone wanting to improve their health but I hate how it's so intrinsically tied to a look and if you don't fit the mold it's just a bottomless sea of negativity. People run their bodies into the ground trying to look fit rather than be fit and it's the saddest irony of the fitness industry.

[@TheBioneer]

So much wisdom and inspiration in this post 💪🏻💪🏻🙏🏻

[@lolersthe4th880]

@@TheBioneer Thank you! I've been a viewer for a LONG time and genuinely your channel has been a source of inspiration and comfort in the fitness space. Love the message you've been spreading for years and know it's not lost on your fans.

[@oneanamoly]

There is so much fitness content out there. You can only retain so information. Get what you need, put the screens down and go enjoy life

[@pranakhan]

As a middle aged guy I appreciate the groundedness of your recent videos, but I do deeply enjoy your explorations of the cutting edge / fringe science studies that you share your take on. You have an informational candor in those like an retro news anchor from the 80's that's cool, and I find it enjoyable to live in awe at the possibilities of human potential. It is inspirational that there is an infinite horizon to move towards. I hope you continue to explore that content. We Fight for the Users. Light & Life to you!

[@LionRafale]

You are speaking a great message here. You are more than just a fitness youtuber. You are the big brother that every lost guy needs in this tough new world

[@nilsk3656]

Best fitness youtubers: • The Bioneer • FitnessFAQ • Scott Herman • Marc Wildman • Coach Stef (german channel) All these channels helped me a lot when it comes to exercise form, creating routines and developing an overall healthy mindset. I don't care for and don't need more input than that.

[@shane555]

Strength Side is awesome too! 💪

[@daniellehowell4339]

I like hybrid calisthenics.

[@nilsk3656]

I forgot a lot tbh.. Also wanna mention Squat University. Although they mostly populate the shorts section of my feed. And there were also a lot of great channels mentioned in the video that I also follow.

[@RealLifeRodger]

That’s subjective.

[@Alfenium]

The Stone Circle is beautiful dude

[@williamtomkiel8215]

being a (mostly) well matured male over 70 puts me outside most target demographics - a mixed blessing (don't get me started about those kids "on my lawn") - but I digress but- I will give props to the site T-Nation- the version from '98 to about 2015 or so. guys like Dan John and his KB "fetish" and the T-Mag old school team YOUR site so consistently adheres to the BASICS, REALITY and SANITY that I'm INSPIRED to keep doing what I do and am "progressive" wrt dealing with body issues - sarcopenia spectrum - in talking to other gray-beards , if I can tell them to subscribe and read "The Bioneer".

[@PESCHARLIE1]

This is one of the reasons I like you, Adam. Most of fitness youtube is just so toxic and wrong. Fitness should be fun, not a way to put others down. Would love to filter out "alpha male millionaire tribe" content forever. I relate to what you said about wanting to be Batman. I ended up trying to be "optimal" in hypertrophy training because I felt pressured into doing so. But then I remembered that the whole reason I got into fitness in the first place is because I wanted to be like Baki. Not just his muscles but also his overall athleticism and martial arts ability. Once I remembered that, I promised I'd never forget it

[@jmphome9793]

I stopped social media cold turkey, more than once, almost always relapse and get hooked again. My wife can always tell as I get my Wild KZbin Eyes and rant on about stuff that doesn't really matter. I've finally decided to do immersion therapy and watch, with discernment, and finally managing to change my behavior by upping the quality of videos I will watch, not sticking to what the algorithm wants me to watch and I'm getting real control of what I feed my mind. 62 years old, I can see how young adults can be so hooked and influenced by so many KZbinrs. Like ultra processed foods, you sometimes can't stop yourself until it impacts your health. In this case it can impact your mind and relationships. Your channel for instance is a good example of quality vs quantity, when you release a video I know i will learn something! Keep up the great work!

[@Travishibachi87]

I'm 36 and I quit social media cold turkey last year. HUGE improvement on mental health and productivity. Keep up the good work my friend 💪

[@hanfiball4136]

I think a big problem is that people turn basic truths into extreme opinions as this gets the views. For young people it can be hard to distinguish between people giving genuine advice and people selling you a product. Hard work and dedication, may it be in regards to fitness or money or anything else is undoubtedly a useful trait. But only to a point, there comes a point where you are not being sold a healthy body and financial security anymore, it is then being turned into a "you are still not good enough" "do you want to belong to the loosing side?" "Buy my course to escape the system".

[@archlectoryarvi2873]

Crazy timing! A friend of mine just asked me to recommend some fitness KZbin channels he could follow for useful tips. Recommended your's obviously but struggled to think others and boom you make a video solving that exact problem! Thanks 👍

[@Barefoot-Jaycee]

This video is incredibly applicable to sooo many topics, not just fitness. Well done Adam.

[@Stealth17Gaming]

Really appreciate your calm and well-argued style. Thank you!

[@n00dl3]

Rather than picking channels that are "good" or "bad", I think we need to learn to separate the wheat from the chaff on a per-video basis. The average person is deficient in information literacy across many subject areas, not just fitness. You alluded to this, in how many people go down a pipeline and end up at extreme content. I don't know what the answer is, but I like to point out how not much has changed in the science for decades - the overall message is still "eat well, lift heavy, train consistently", we're just refining the definitions for "well", "heavy", and "consistently". Beginners probably don't need to even think about this. It's just too much information and highly irrelevant. On the creator side, it's near impossible to be correct all the time. Things change, errors are made, goals change, and the algorithm dictates what gets pushed. It's hard to figure out which is intentional and which is an honest mistake. For example, at least two of the channels you recommended are guilty of some of the behaviours you spoke about. Also, you gave dating advice straight after saying the other content creators should stay in their lane 😅 I'm aware it was anecdotal - but so is random red-pill disinfo and bro-science. No hate, love the channel. This video was thought provoking. I'd actually appreciate a tangential video about how fitness content is stuck orbiting the manosphere and how you think we can separate them.

[@erickstotle4285]

Back in 2012 I told my I need to figure out my workouts outside of the internet, because I would always find what i thought was "good info" but then find somebody to contradict it. and I you are in the beginning that will leave you confused and even cause you to lose interest. I found that I wanted to be fit like special forces guys so I learned what they did to get fit. once i was in the habit of working I looked up info a supplement to help my training. Once you know what you training/fitness goals , then it will be easier to look stuff up online that online with you goals. which equals to less confusion and less idle searching and wasting time.

[@HeartlessKnave]

After my final appointment with my physiotherapist (he moved) he recommended that I make a KZbin channel because of my deep interest in fitness, nutrition, martial arts, movement arts, and etc., also especially because of how I recovered as quickly and well as I did from shoulder surgery amazed him. Every date set for a benchmark or goal I passed with ease long before I was "supposed" to. However, that all came because of the shoulder surgery. I was disappointed that the doctors/surgeon told me basically nothing about recovery for my shoulder, and a dietician just threw the RDAs for micro and macro nutrients at me, so I started to read, listen to and watch things about nutrition, recovering from injury including building stronger bones and tendons to heal my shoulder quicker, and many other topics. I've been going for over two years now and just haven't stopped daily reading, listening and watching now that it's become an obsession. I decided to get certified after the first year of non-stop studying this stuff. Also once my shoulder was fixed I could do weight training, martial arts, and parkour again, which I couldn't ever since the injury, so that obsession came back with a vengeance too. I basically told my physio that there's already enough idiots online talking about this stuff, and a bunch being wrong, that I'd rather be a personal trainer and sports coach and help people in person, making content just doesn't appeal to me and would take away from doing that, and time spent making content, I could be either training or studying. Despite the money and exposure that can be made from KZbin, I just don't care and it seems more effort and hassle than it's worth to me, and I know I wouldn't find it fulfilling. My contribution to KZbin fitness is just not being a part of it. 18:17

[@BeNLaGRAiNE09]

It's just like everything.. too much is like not enough. A little bit of all aspects are awesome. Balance

[@catalyst3713]

The biggest "problem" i have with modern fitness content as a skinny guy trying to reach peak perfotmance, is a lot of it seems to be geared toward weight loss, bodybuilding, or drama gossip about whos on gear, none of which i give 2 sh*ts about. Not to mention their promtion of garbage supplements that either aren't efficaious or are full of filler or harmful ingredients.

[@danielcoetser3664]

A mix of Geoffrey Verity Schofield, Eric Bugenhagen, Eugene Teo and Alec Blennis should get you sorted.

[@catalyst3713]

@@danielcoetser3664 Thanks for the suggestions. I'll check em out.

[@Weirdgeek83]

This is why I love the bioneer. He talks about subjects that have always interested me in regards to fitness: the pursuit of physical perfection in all modalities, becoming as close to peak human as we can be by training in unorthodox ways. He even talks about mind training and supplementation. Basically, it's more about molding yourself into the highest version you can reach rather than working out for the sake of it. Basically, batman training.

[@yavorvlaskov5404]

Quality content as always, you are the humble, competent spirit that this hobby (and it is a hobby, many people should really understand that, unless you are in the small majority when fitness earns you a living, as much as you may be passionate about it it's still a hobby, a non-critical choice of how to spend free time) actually desperately needs. People need to take this more lightly.

[@jigsaw6246]

I got lots of good training info from Jeff Cavaliere (AthleanX), but after seeing him post multiple new videos each and every week, you begin to realize a lot of the videos are either a repeat of something you've seen before. And, if you did every workout that he touts as something you need to add to your workout, you would be working out 20 hours a day. I have much more success with simpler workouts primarily with kettlebells and steel clubs following advice from Mark Wildman and Bioneer.

[@Tobinator127]

I'm surprised you didn't include the Buff Dudes in your shoutout section, those guys are wholesome and informative! Great video btw, keep up the good work

[@the_bottomfragger]

You are a shining light for me in a very mixed landscape on KZbin. I would've made a video on it as well if I was a content creator. What I dislike the most about the current landscape: -You start with watching fitness videos and youtube suggests roided up bodybuilding youtubers immediately. The two are not even remotely the same. -Negativity. "DON'T DO *THIS* EXERCISE", "THIS IS WHY YOU CAN'T GAIN MUSCLE" etc. is just such a toxic vibe. Help people, don't discourage them or put them down.

[@eldorados_lost_searcher]

I just started back up with training on Monday, trying to take it easy until I have a decent baseline habit and fitness level. I was going to listen to you as I did that, but I started to go down into a squat and the red light started flashing in my head. I think the heat and exertion from the rest of my day (lots of stairs and ladders) took it out of me. Get it tomorrow, though.

[@Alex55455]

Such a great video. Another thing I have found is try to make your fitness pursuits social and do it with other people who have positive mindsets (stay away from negative and toxic people). If you lift get some training partners, if you run join a run club etc. Also don’t only just solely perform the fitness activity with these people but go for coffee or a meal together afterwards so you can become friends beyond fitness. To live a fulfilling life you need other people in your life to share experiences with. Being a lone wolf grinding away in the gym day after day is not going to make you happy or make all your problems go away. I’ve been there and done that. My life truly didn’t improve until when I actually started doing my fitness pursuits with other people and started hanging out with them outside of my fitness pursuits.

[@tommyebert9388]

I think the buff dudes are pretty cool as well. They still seem pretty down to earth even though they are one of the biggest fitness KZbin channels. Great video! 👍

[@TheBioneer]

Oh yeah I forget them! They’re amazing!

[@tommyebert9388]

@@TheBioneer they are one of my go twos for general lifting advice and just good fun entertainment. Also they do more running and other cross training now whitch is always cool to see

[@makenjikarate]

Great video! We also have a similar problem in martial arts as well where people want to present themselves as an all-in-one solution to fighting when in reality they neglect to have fun and own what they're actually doing, just enjoy it and be yourself 👊

[@TheBioneer]

Oh I’m aware! And martial arts have so much more to offer

[@xCorvus7x]

There seems to be one problem with KZbin/online media in particular: they keep you watching instead of doing. Maybe modern life is generally kind of depressing but attention-grabbing algorithms certainly don't help.

[@QuincyKane]

Good video; I appreciate your openness! It was also cool of you to shout out to some of the other great KZbinrs out there!

[@AlfiePT]

So, so well said. The part about obsessive optimisation and batman roleplay vs a practical Batman training program that someone could actually implement really struck a chord with me.

[@ryguy642]

This video needs to be seen by everyone who is starting out their fitness journey. Sage advice.

[@JosuaKarlson]

Love this video. In fact I had the most muscle growth myself when I just went bouldering and working full time as a landscaper, not having any thoughts about gains at all but having a lot of joyful experiences. Not taking any supplements whatsoever during that time. KZbin is a big money maker and a lot of people take advantage of our human nature to believe what we want to believe.

[@brianbachmeier34]

We're all gonna make it brahs 👍

[@mikafoxx2717]

Bioneer and Hersovyac both dropping reality checks on fitness content lately. Thanks for keeping it real, guys. Don't let optimal get in the way of good enough. Do what you enjoy for fitness, it's a long game, and do what you can do you don't burn yourself out completely persuing perfection.

[@matisl1853]

15:11 I was hoping you'd put NH haha Also, thanks for all the channel recommendations and the great video

[@TheBioneer]

He’s a good dude with some very interesting discussions!

[@sarah5442]

At 72, I am NOT a weight lifter. These days I find it hard to get out of my chair, or walk even. But your videos have been inspirational. You have also made me understand how I can use everyday activity to alleviate my condition, and perhaps live the next 10-20 years more enjoyably. Without a gym membership. Thank you!!!

[@jeffgoode9865]

Your information, to me, has never been misleading, and is always appreciated and interesting, even if I don't use all of it. I've been turned off of a lot of different fitness KZbinrs, but I watch your videos consistently.

[@mostlyimportant4212]

The Bioneer is definitely my favourite fitness channel. The approach to training is one I find fascinating and think anyone could benefit from, but the broader message conveyed is, I feel, one of the more powerful ones you'll find in online fitness. Everyone occasionally drops a tidbit of general wisdom or similar, but I really think this channel could have some profoundly positive effects on people who could use it, beyond the realm of making their muscles more [something]

[@TheBioneer]

Thank you 😁

[@slee2695]

Except when he oversteps his expertise and starts giving life advice...like what are his credentials to lecture about life?

[@mostlyimportant4212]

@@slee2695 Being alive?

[@mostlyimportant4212]

@@slee2695 Being alive?

[@slee2695]

@mostlyimportant4212 i mean educationally? He also hasnt really achieved anything either..financially, athletically, etc I mean I know western men are in decline so the goal posts are lower..but still

[@JoergSiegwarth]

just train, have fun and do it for yourself. I am almost 50yrs old and I had times, where I haven‘t trained at all. For years. Just because life happens. There are a lot of important things in our lives happening and they are all individual. We need to calm down and come back to the fun part. This builds some kind of consistency

[@majorgekko]

"I love your content, and the "Take a break from fitness content" suggestion is great; from time to time I like to apply that, but don't worry, I may drop a lot of channels but yours is more than that. I just love the way you present information about health and fitness, and not only exercise... and the way you closed the videos "You should train to live, not live to train" *chef's kiss"

[@paulkiendel8792]

100% truth I wish more people would meet up to discuss YT content and training. Rather than what I see now, where people watch YT tune out real people and follow an online tribe. 😢

[@Kradgor]

The older I get the more I aspire to train like you do. Mixing up skills, cardio and weights. Not trying to look a certain way but just to be functional and have fun

[@_jade_rebel_]

You've done a few videos in this vein and every one of them comes as a breath of fresh air at exactly the right time.

[@deathwish_bigboss]

I've tried getting a sponsor for my fitness Instagram page, it's practically impossible unless you're on steroids or the right race (usually white). Also, if you think fitness social media is bad I've been a cosplayer for 10 years now it's one of the most toxic hobbies I've ever been in particularly for guys that aren't friends with the right people.

[@TheBioneer]

Really?? I wouldn’t have thought cosplaying of all things! Sorry to hear about your sponsor troubles - KZbin is easier for small channels, if that’s any use to you!

[@FitOneswithVarun]

I think the part about channels getting big and then moving out of their area of expertise is spot on, the channels get so big that they have the audience for anything they want to talk about.

[@weavehole]

Ironically, I've never taken steroids but I still developed gynocomastia and started losing my hair at 19. Neither has ever bothered me though. Also my boiler broke 2 months ago and now I can handle cold showers. Mind you, it is summer...

[@LarsJ1977]

A very important message, especially to the younger crowd. Good on you for making this. Oh btw using metal utensils on a nonstick pan is a big no-no (7:04) just fyi :)

[@TheBioneer]

😂😂 There have been so many comments on the cooking! In my defence, that particular clip wasn’t me…

[@LarsJ1977]

@@TheBioneer 😆

[@nekomansa]

The Sonic and the Black Knight clip was perfect, omg. Also great video in general! This is a super important message.

[@EdwarkingOFitness]

Bit disappointed you didn't include Alexander Bromley in your list of fitness youtubers. The guy is a professional strongman for almost 20 years and is someone who has ALOT of knowledge when it comes to programming for strength & powerlifting. Very articulate and puts alot of effort into presentation of his videos. If any of yall are into powerlifting, or just want to gain strength&size, check Bromley out! (He didnt pay me a Dime to say this BTW)

[@TheBioneer]

Thanks I’ll check him out!

[@joseppebatman]

The most real KZbinr on the net. Plus you’re an actual person with a wife and kiddos and understand the struggle of trying to balance everything. I would love to join your patron if I could figure it out lol

[@efkush]

If only there were as many cool people I could point to as the number of my fingers. you would be one of them. You have changed my fitness style since I discovered you. You taught me that I can develop not only with my body, but also with everything: my mind, my reaction time, emotions. You always appear with a smiling face and enter the video with confidence. You are an incredibly positive and realistic person. Never let anyone get you down. I appreciate you man.

[@TheBioneer]

Thanks man! I really appreciate it 😁

[@efkush]

@@TheBioneer i really miss that old logo too

[@jroth2nd]

This is why I love the Massive Iron, pioneer, and GVS. No BS, just fitness information.

[@Monkey-fv2km]

These are being KZbin fitness issues, they are social media issues at large in any subject of interest, lifestyles, hobbies, gaming, science, politics... Selling ideological solutions with hyperbole or outright lies and unrealistic projections. But there are plenty of good faith actors in all these areas if you are willing to look for them.

[@maxwellpeterson3974]

Fantastic video, man. Yours is the channel I come back to again and again, and I think one of the main reasons why is how much genuine heart you bring to your stuff. You seem like a genuinely good dude in a sea of hucksters hocking unattainable fantasies. I just want to live healthy, strong, and long these days. Your channel had a lot to do with shifting my mindset in a healthier and more balanced direction. Thanks for that, and for all of it. Keep it up, man. We’re right there with you.

[@Laurielism]

I love that you and some of the other channels you mentioned exist. There is so much good quality content out there, and I love that people like you are espousing being okay with yourself, and that you will get things wrong sometimes. And that there is no quick fixes, and consistency and dedication will get you where you envision yourself, not magic bullets. Thanks again.

[@vmcdelta]

Hey Adam, this is a great analysis of the issue and hits the nail on the head. Like you say, enjoying the process and not getting bogged down by the noise of the internet, is the way forward. And your idiosyncrasies are part of what makes me really like your approach and your channel. Don’t change!

[@quangtrungbui675]

the youtube fitness triumvirate: The Bioneer, Fitness FAQs and Alphadensity (currently Alex Leonidas though the previous name was so iconic)

[@personaignota]

I go back and forth between The Bioneer and Red Delta Project. It's like a right brain vs left brain approach to training freely as you like, and they both offer practical solutions to working out, although RDP is more oriented towards calisthenics. "Have all the fun in the world" and "try this cool thing" vs "keep it simple, keep it stupid" and "this is the simplest workout you can do".

[@archlectoryarvi2873]

Bioneer and Kboges for me.

[@Mindfullifting]

Alpha destiny you meant... although alpha density would be a funny spin off. 😂

[@smokeymcpot69]

Fore me: Bioneer, StayFlexy and knees over toes guy 💪🏻

[@slee2695]

Bioneer represents everything that western men is becoming

[@evanhadkins5532]

For someone who needed to pay attention to health and had never been interested in exercise (type 2 diabetes), video content (mostly youtube) is incredibly valuable. Showing what to do is way better than books. Also there is the possibility to connect with others who are interested in health (those in gyms etc are more interested in other things). As you say the problem is more likely to be one for young people.

[@redpilldredd9907]

Love your content. Thanks for the hard work you do. I workout twice a week, slowly losing weight. I love my workout schedule. One day Ill be ripped like you. The workout journey is a journey, not a destination.

[@petemarron6677]

I'm sixty years old and have been training all my life(it's a lifestyle). I hope that some young people hear your message. I could never bring myself to take a cold shower voluntarily, so that was a good takeaway for me.

[@bigpicturegains]

Humans by nature are competitive and always comparing, sizing themselves up to others. In the past we had small communities mostly cut off from other parts of the world. We now have social media constantly showing us the best of the best in the world. It’s difficult for people to not feel a level of inadequacy when always seeing the top 1%.

[@d.kennedy7627]

Male humans….

[@user-he4ef9br7z]

It's not a bad thing per se. It's very easy to be the best at your gym, in your friend circle, in you neighborhood. Social media exposes us to higher possibilities that excite and inspire us. Of course, with all this one should take into account genetics, and sacrifices the top 1% have taken to get there, (killing yourself with drugs, spending long hours training).

[@monknotmonknot4053]

As someone who is finding themselves in their 40s this is helpful info. Thank you for sharing.

[@Unity-Mack]

This feels like such a positive evolution of everything on your channel! I’ve always loved your batman videos and they really inspired my training when I was younger and I think this video really speaks to me as someone who is married now and juggling fitness with everything else in life! Keep up the great work man, I’m happy to be here watching!

[@caravaneerkhed]

I upload on KZbin using an alt account, and it’s mostly fitness, life, and martial arts related, and I haven’t been doing it long, but I essentially have shown most if not all of what I do every single day… and pretty much ran out of content… so I decided to take up a fitness challenge in an effort to reach a simple goal and take the audience along with me. It’s been going mostly well and I’ve tripled my growth which is certainly encouraging to see, but I also got injured and took this week off to see if it will help with recovery. But it is definitely hard to keep making interesting content when you sort of just do the same or similar things week over week. I guess in some ways it’s lucky that KZbin likes repetition.

[@haerthguard]

Such a good video essay! I feel a lot of this could be applied to the world of online martial arts content.

[@KungFit]

Such an important message Adam, and it's great that a big channel like yours has said it. There's so much misinformation and mis-directed focus out there. It's not just fitness, it's pretty much everything where someone can earn money or gain status. It's one of the reasons I became a kung fu teacher, I saw so much bad teaching out there. As I moved into being a PT and helping people fix their bodies I saw it all again.

[@MikefromTexas1]

I will say, from firsthand experience of myself and others, that getting in shape *absolutely* makes a difference in how people treat you, especially professionally.

[@Zoet50]

I followed the liver kings training methodology. Cured everything wrong with me. It also got me a Bugatti!

[@DXIII_365]

Bottom line it’s people. People are going to do what they want and follow what they want on both sides. I say if you are inspired by something or someone go for it. You don’t know what will work for you unless you try it. Side note : your selection of the greats of KZbin fitness are pretty much spot on. I have some additional members to add to that list but it’s pretty much the same.

[@TheBioneer]

It’s by no means exhaustive! I’m already thinking of people I wish I’d added!

[@ianlovat9719]

Totally agree with your thoughts. I’d add that a lot of channels push quick short term success and not consistency. I am in my mid 40s and much stronger and more muscular than in my early 20s. It’s consistency and time that is needed. But that won’t sell supplements ;-)

[@matthewthehawk1066]

Bioneer is great. Sick of the fitness KZbin drama

[@M_is_lost]

Hey, this is honestly one of the best videos I've watched on KZbin... I would say that youtube should put this on their "front page" if they have any, although that might be against their own company policy 😅.

[@RoughGalaxyYT]

I really like The Stone Circle. Very grounded, focused strongly on practical strength while working on a personal journey.

[@Kirtahl]

Thanks man, I noticed your videos got even more humble in the last few years.

[@Davlavi]

Informative as always.

[@balazsbrankovics2996]

Great video! Really appreciate your work and honesty. I am really enjoying the slight shift in content by adding mistakes, difficulties and that your not selling that "this what you should do". Thank you so much! Nice that you honored the other great creators out there.

[@culturalfusion]

Excellent video Adam. Thank you for pointing out that most of what the algorithm’s dish out is sensationalized content. You, on the other hand, are straight foward and willing to share your faults too. In other words…A multi-faceted human being. Cheers!!

[@davidschenker7561]

Bioneer you are favorite Fitness KZbinr by a mile and I am so glad that I discovered you when I was 15 and had been stuck at a wall for a long time. I am 16 now and I look great, feel amazing, and can out work all of the football team with ease. You are truly a gem in This Algorithm

[@clutson6515]

You are a true inspiration and I couldn’t agree more, the current KZbin scene has far more junk than quality and informative fitness videos.

[@RitzCaraldo]

The problem is there is so much info it makes people think they have to train like pro's or else they're doing it wrong. Pick a sportb activity you like and do it as best you can as much as you can, train as well (weights, cardio, swim, calisthenics) and eat the best quality food you can (no sugar and low carb) done. I just explained every fitness blog and video online.

[@jeffsimard8846]

And this video why this channel is the best in this genre

[@PraveenJose18551]

I genuinely believe that for the people who stick with it the longest, fitness is most rewarding as a craft. In many ways, it's one of the most straightforward crafts to progress on, especially compared to something like painting or woodworking. If you working out and get results satisfying your deep urge to be creative, then you'll stick to it for a long time. The same can't be said if you work out to get the attention of women (or other men).

[@PraveenJose18551]

I think all humans have a deep urge to find something they wanna to tinker with and master, an urge that comes from their soul. It's a travesty that culture wars of social media have destroyed this perception, now claiming that these urges are all just downstream of sexual or social selection, something you do to get power or partners.

[@Not-Impressed..1821]

Everyone's got to sell something. Don't pay attention to extraordinary claims and secrets of tte fitness industry. I don't go to the gym. I work out at home. I don't need to see boobs and myself posing in the mirror. I'm 51 and I'm in a good shape. I don't have unrealistic expectations. I'm as good as I could be and even if I'm not, I'm okay with it.

[@ArtbyPaulPetro]

This was really great and I agree 10000% (I'm exaggerating my claim so that more people might see it...hahaha) but seriously.... KZbin and sociable media fitness is like the old Joe Weider magazine ads with Arnold and Franco surrounded by hot chicks, only to the 1000th power! Same idea: prey upon the insecurities of young men (and women) and profit from it. At this point I totally ignore ANY KZbin vid that says "the ONLY blah blah blah you'll EVER need" and any of the permutations thereof. I refuse to be screamed at, yelled at, or told I'm a loser for not following whatever the person doing the screaming and yelling is telling me I should do. I'm 57 years old now and never have had good genes for building big muscles. When I was younger it really caused me a LOT of angst because I sure trained hard and was very consistent but I was only going to go far in that regard. Bitter pill to swallow (and something Joe Weider certainly would never have wanted me to know!) So now things are different. I could literally care less if my training is "optimal" for this or that and in fact I have come to hate that bloody word (fwiw I'm part British, seriously lol) I'm still pretty consistent but I try to do stuff I enjoy AND still challenge me to get and BE better. This is what attracted me to your channel... you are way outside the "normal" KZbin box and that is precisely the reason I continue to watch. Stay true to yourself, stick to the principals you outlined here, and your channel will continue to grow in the right direction! much kudos, props, pats on the back, and thumbs up to you, sir!

[@tanaysingh6330]

Wow. Just wow, never seen such an unbiased point of view on the fitness Industry, bioneer once again proves why he's a polymath

[@DrRussell]

Respect everything you say, but there is a superhero in you and it shows, sometimes we need to be serious to get things done. I know you already know that.

[@noiZtheartist]

Adam is never going to get over the moments of his life he wasted on cold showers It's starting to feel personal LOL

[@TheBioneer]

😂😂 I really don’t like being cold!

[@mikafoxx2717]

​@@TheBioneerLet's hope the next study is on hot showers!